Aggression Flashcards
Desensitisation
repeated exposure the physical effect of arousal is reduced. promoting belief that aggression is a method of resolving conflict is social acceptable. negative attitudes towards aggression weaken and there is less empathy
research for desensitisation
Weisz and Earis.
showed participants a film contain a rape scene. male viewers showed greater acceptance of rape myths and in a mock trial were more likely to show less empathy to the victim and find the defendant not guilty.
evaluation of Desensitisation
research support
participants watched violent film clip and the measured psychological arousal. frequent viewers showed lower arousal.
arousal is negatively correlated with provoked aggression test.
demonstrate lower arousal in frequently viewers reflecting desensitisation leading to greater will to be aggressive.
catharsis is a better explanation
failure to find link between media viewing and low arousal and reactive aggression. catharsis occurred viewing violent media allowing participants to release aggressive impulse. catharsis may be a more valid explanation
Disinhibition
violence and aggression have powerful social and psychological restraints against using aggression to resolve interpersonal conflicts. violent media gives aggression social approval especially when,
1. effect on victims is minimised
2. appears to be justified
3. violence is rewarded
effect of usual restraints on individuals is loosen after exposure.
Evaluation of disinhibition
-Explains effect of cartoon violence:
children don’t learn specific behaviour from cartoon models but social norms of aggression is socially normative and goes unpunished so these norms are picked up. this supports of hypothesis.
-Research to support Disinhibition:
showed films depicting aggression as vengeance then participants gave electric shocks of longer duration to a confederate than control. Shows media violence may dis inhibit aggression when justified more social acceptable. adds validity
cognitive priming
repeated exposure means a script on how to behave to aggressive cues is stored
research for cognitive priming
Huesmann:
- automatic process script direct behaviour without being aware. triggered when we encounter cues
Fisher and Meyer:
- song lyrics as a form of media violence. Male participants listened to derogatory lyrics about women. compare to control they recalled more negative characteristics of women and behaved more aggressively towards a female confederate.
evaluation for cognitive priming
save lives when situations breaks into violence.
depends on how we interpret cues which depends on scripts stored in memory . someone who habitually watches violent media accesses stored aggressive script and is more likely to interpret cues as aggressive and resort to violence. effective interventions to reduce aggression by challenging hostile cognitive scripts and encouraging habitual media users to considers alternatives
Different studies on the effect of computer games
- experimental studies
- correlation
- Meta analysis
- Longitudinal
experimental studies on effect of computer games
- lab studies demonstrate cause and effect
Bartholow and Anderson:
participants played violent / non violent games 10 mins carried out Taylor competitive reaction time task. noise volume blast. these who played the violent game selected higher noise levels.
evaluation of experimental studies on the effect of computer games
measures of aggression are artificial
- volume of noise selected was an unrealistic measure. measures of aggression are unrealistic and don’t involve retaliation. permission to be safely aggressive. doubts validity.
non-equivalence problem
difficult to be sure 2 games are equivalent apart from presence or absence or violence. 2 most commonly used. the violent game is more complex than the nonviolent. confounding variable. behave more aggressive due to frustration of game complexity rather than violence.
correlation studies for the effect of computer games
investigate real life variables. short term
DeLisi et al
227 Juvenile offenders serous aggressive behaviour. structured interviews . aggressive behaviour was positively correlated with the use of violent computer games and how much they enjoyed them . link is so well established game violence should be considered a significant risk
cannot draw cause and effect conclusion
no variables were manipulated or controlled. no random allocation to condition.l positive correlation can be explained by socialisation. that already violent people choose violent games. direction of causality cannot be settled.
Longitudinal experiments on the effect of computer games.
correlation studies over long periods of time looking for long term effects
Robertson et al
1000 people in New Zealand. TV viewing hours till that age of 26. time spent watching TV reliable predictor of aggression in adulthood (convictions of violent crime) diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. important factor is the amount of TV not how violent it is.
evaluation of longitudinal studies on the effect of computer games
conducted over long periods. many sources of aggression interact with media influences over period. difficult to separate them or asses contributions impossible to conclude that violent media rather than confounding variables affected aggression.
Meta analysis on the effect of computer games
Brings together a variety of studies give judgement on size of effect.
Anderson et al:
134 studies including experimental, correlation and longitudinal.
exposure to violent games associated with increased aggression. can be applied to males and females across cultures.
claims the effect of games on aggression is great. no indication of publication bias
evaluation of all methodologies into the effect of computer game violence
publication bias
tendency to only publish statistically significant findings.
problems for meta analysis which only include published studies showing a significant effect.
this creates a false impression that effect of violent media on aggression is greater than it actually is.
institutional aggression explanations and the models they use
- dispositional explanation - importation model
2. situational explanation - deprivation model
Dispositional explanation - importation model
aggression is a result of individual characteristics
Irwin and Cressey
inmates import subculture typical of criminality including beliefs, values, norms, attitudes, learning and characteristics (race, class, gender)
In order to negotiate an unfamiliar environment where existing inmates use aggression to establish power, status and access to resources.
research into the importation model
DeLisi et al
Juvenile delinquents in California institution. Imported negative dispositional features e.g trauma, anger, substance abuse, violence. were more likely to engage in suicidal, sexual misconduct and physical violence compared to control inmates with fewer negative disposition features.
situation explanation - deprivation model
Chemmer
conditions cause stress, locking up causing frustration. aggression is an adaptive solution to deprivation
1. psychological factors- deprivation from freedom, independence, heterosexual intimacy
2. physical factors - deprivation of material goods increased aggressive competition amongst inmates.
research into the deprivation model
Steiner
- investigated factors predicting inmate aggression in 500 US prisons. Inmate on inmate violence more when there was higher proportions of female staff, African-american and Hispanic inmates, protective custody for their own safety. Prison levels factors are independent of individual characteristics. reliable predicted aggressive behaviour in line with deprivation model
evaluation of deprivation model
contradictory evidence:
model predicts lack of heterosexual contact leads to high levels of aggression study prison allowing conjugal visits. no link between visits and reduced aggression. situation facts not effected by prison violence. doubt in validity
research to support:
situational variables highly influential. Inmate homicides in Texas. motivation linked to deprivation factors predicted by model. supports validity.
evaluation of importation model
alternative to model:
model inadequate ignores role of factors in running a prison. administrative control model ACM. poorly managed prisons more likely to experience inmate violence. more influential than characteristics. doubts validity
research support importation model
half male inmates in low security half in high security
no significant difference in aggressive misconduct. prison environment less important predictors of aggression than characteristics. strong evidence uses random allocation.
interactionist model
deprivation does not lead to violence unless combined with individuals characteristics imported into prison. more valid as it explains evidence. fuller account greater variety realistic reflects complex nature that is unlikely to have one cause
frustration aggression hypothesis
if our attempt to achieve a goal is blocked by external factors we feel frustration which creates an aggressive drive leading to aggressive behaviour
catharsis
expression of aggressive drive in behaviour is cathartic because aggression created by frustration is satified. reduces drive making further aggression less likely.
indirectly expressed
cause of frustration is
a. abstract
b. cause is too powerful and we risk punishment
c. unavaliable
aggression is displaced / deflected onto alternative that is not abstract, is weaker and is available
environmental cues
Berkowitz and Le page
once students became frustrated gave higher electric shocks if weapon was present
frustration creates readiness for aggression and aggressive cues in environment make aggression more likely.
key study into the frustration aggression hypothesis
Green
male uni students completed jigsaw puzzle. conditions
a. impossible
b. ran out of time due to interrupting confederate
c. insulted by confederate.
they then gave shocks to this confederate when he made a mistake.
c gave the strongest. then B and then A.
all selected more intense shocks than control
positive evaluation of frustration aggression hypothesis
original hypothesis reformulated
frustration does not always lead to aggression and aggression can occur without frustration. frustration is just 1 of many adverse stimuli that creates a negative feeling which triggers aggression. consequences of frustration is flexible strength highlights adaptability of hypothesis ton new evidence
useful real life application
argument trigger can pull finger. gun control debates. some states allow open carry but presence act as a cue to aggression making it more likely. research shows aggressive cues should be removed from the environment
research evidence
meta analysis displaced aggression.
negative evaluation of frustration aggression
effect of justified and unjustified frustration
evidence that aggression is not cathartic
evolutionary explanation of human aggression
aggression is advantageous so we evolved to be aggressive
sexual jealousy
cuckoldry: raising offspring that are not their own is a waste of resources for future offspring. men who could avoid cuckoldry more reproductive successful.
so psychological mechanisms have evolved
mate retention strategies
Wilson and Daly 1. direct guarding 2. negative inducements wilson et al women who reported these strategies were 2 time more likely to suffer physical violence. 70% needs medical attention
intimate partner violence IPV
Schackelford et al
107 married couples less than a year
questionnaires. men- mate retention inventory
women- spouse influence report.
positive correlation between mate retention behaviour and report pf physical aggression. guarding, and negative inducement more likely to use physical violence.
bulling
power imbalance. stronger repeatedly aggression against weaker person.
in men- suggest dominance, acquisition of resources, strength access to more females less competing males
in women- takes place within relationships controlling partner secure fidelity and continual provide for future offspring.
evaluation of evolutionary explanations
+research support central evolutionary concepts
+evolutionary explains gender differences
+real life applications
- methodological issues with research evidence
- cultural differences in aggression
ethological explanations
aggression is adaptive because
1. reduces competition
2. established dominance hierarchy
Dettit et al: playgrounds aggression - dominance which brings benefits
ritualistic aggression
series of behaviour in set order.
Lorenz intraspecies aggression ritualistic signalling/ rarely physically . appeasement by loser prevents further damage. advantageous not to kill own species.
innate releasing mechanisms IRM
environmental stimuli activates psychological processes identifying threats triggers FAP
FAP fixed action pattern
Lea
- stereotyped
- universal
- unaffected by learning
- ballistic
- single purpose
- response to specific sign
key study in FAP
Tinbergen male stickleback. mating season another male initiates FAP. red on belly triggers. wooden model different shapes.
FAP did not changed. once triggered ran it course. no red-no aggression
evaluation of ethological explanation
- cultural differences
- evidence agaist ritualistic aggression
+ supporting research evidence - unjustified generalisations to human aggression
- evidence FAPs not fixed
